by Sophie Samek, Head Writer As I approach the end of my degree, there are a few things I would have liked to tell my younger self trying to figure out how to make the most out of university. It is very easy to become caught up in comparing yourself to your other classmates and trying to curate the best resume. I am no exception to this, I have stretched myself extremely thin in the past just because I thought that I would benefit in the future. Recently, I have learned to say no and really ask myself if this is something I want to be doing or if am I wanting to do it for the wrong reasons. I definitely still slip up with this but I try my hardest to really take a step back and think before jumping into something. "Hustle Culture"Hustle culture is often defined as the idea that working long hours and sacrificing self-care are necessary steps in the pursuit of success. It breeds the idea that when you devote all your attention to work and nothing else you will be rewarded with anything and everything. In recent years, It has become a societal phenomenon to always be on your “grind”. We have strayed away from developing healthy work-life balance and praise individuals who are overworking themselves. We have created a culture where if your schedule is not jam-packed with meetings, classes, work, and extracurriculars then you are not making the “most” out of your time. This mindset can be extremely toxic and create unhealthy habits. I cannot stress this enough, but it is okay to step away from your desk and prioritize yourself. One way hustle culture has impacted my life is the pursuit of more, in my third year, I became obsessed with getting involved in everything in university. I wanted to be busy with school, work, clubs, research, and so much more. While I am proud of where I am today and can say I really immersed myself in every aspect, I still wonder at what cost? This brings me to the steps I have learned to take when presented with something new to really determine whether it is something I want to do rather than something I feel like I need to do.
I have stretched myself out thin in the past, but I have learnt that in the long run, it is not good for my mental health. Now I am only a part of clubs and activities that I am passionate about. This isn’t to say that I never slip up, I still get caught up in the “this would be really good on a resume” mindset. However, I always remind myself that it is a learning process and when I use these questions to evaluate the opportunity, I find myself feeling more fulfilled with the work that I am doing. I want to leave off with something I wish I could tell my younger self: there will always be another opportunity coming. You do not need to say yes to everything that comes in your path, start prioritizing what makes you feel fulfilled. Sophie is an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, an Academic Coordinator on the Psychology Society and a Writer and Graphic Artist on GetPsyched. Are you interested in submitting a post to GetPsyched? Make sure you fill out our submission form and send it back to us so we can showcase your ideas! Edited by Laura Kostwinder. References
Miles, M. (2022). The problems with hustle culture – and how it’s tied to mental health. BetterUp. https://www.betterup.com/blog/hustle-culture#:~:text=by%20hustle%20culture.-,What%20is%20hustle%20culture%3F,can%20achieve%20anything%20and%20everything.
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